A Florida teenager faces criminal charges stemming from her relationship with another young female student.Kaitlyn Hunt, 18, faces two felony counts of "lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 to 16" after the parents of her 15-year-old girlfriend pressed charges earlier this year, according to Examiner.

...According to an arrest affidavit obtained by CBS affiliate WTSP, the girls began dating in November 2012, when Kaitlyn Hunt was 18 and the other girl was 14.

Its interesting how much my opinion of this case changes based on the picture I see of Kaitlyn (not that I'm proud of that fact or anything...). Goes to show the subtleties of media spin.

This case shows why statutory rape laws are ridiculous. They're going way beyond their statute of protecting children, it seems these days to be getting more and more about parents using it as a tool of revenge.

This case shows why statutory rape laws are ridiculous. They're going way beyond their statute of protecting children, it seems these days to be getting more and more about parents using it as a tool of revenge.

I agree with your point on the revenge bit, but then how can we really judge that it was a revenge thing?

I certainly agree with you but that is the problem with the law. There has to be clear lines drawn in order to be at all interpretable.

Surely everyone can agree that a man in his 30's dating and carrying on (having sex with) a 14 year old girl should probably be considered criminal. That is my opinion anyway.

Its much more grey when you consider these scenarios where all the parties involved were teenagers... just the law draws a line at 18 for some reason. Had she been 17, there would have been no charges.

The age of consent in Florida is 18 with a close-in-age exemption of 16 or 17 as long as the other person is 23 or younger. Part of me wonders if the parents would have gone through with it if they had a son instead of a daughter. It seems like the reason they did it was because they disapproved of their daughter's same-sex relationship.

One of the point of the defense is that the two girls started dating when they were minors and parents on both sides were aware of it. Yet, the charges were pressed only when the oldest one turned 18

The affidavit seems to claim that they didn't start dating until after she was 18. But that could definitely be a case of he-said-she-said. Legally, does it matter?

When I was 18-19 I had a 16 year old girlfriend. Hate to think of how terrible it would have been if her parents decided to go after me, legally. But they really seemed to love me and we all got along well.

You generally become an "adult" at 18.

I understand that legally that is what happens. But can we agree that 18 is arbitrary and in reality individuals mature at different rates?

I saw this kid and his girlfriend at the movie theaters the other day. It really made my stomach turn because he looked to be almost 17-18 year old (and rather overweight I might add, not that that matters), and she looked like she could be 10-12 years old. I thought it was his younger sister at first until they suddenly started making out in line. I kinda wanted to call the cops to look into that but it just didn't seem right. I've met some 18 year old girls that looked really really young. I decided to mind my own business.

The affidavit seems to claim that they didn't start dating until after she was 18. But that could definitely be a case of he-said-she-said. Legally, does it matter?

Ah, indeed, I read in an older version of the HuffPo news that they started dating when they were minor but the article has been updated.

When I was 18-19 I had a 16 year old girlfriend. Hate to think of how terrible it would have been if her parents decided to go after me, legally. But they really seemed to love me and we all got along well.

On one hand, a lot of parents do not mind and on the other hand, some do and they call the long arm of the law because they disapprove of the children relationship.Usually, in the second case, it does not end well ...

The only recourse to this is to get the law repealed. Stupid law or not- it is the law, passed muster of the constitutionality and has been on the books for a VERY long time.

a 26 year old had sex with my daughter, ( who lived with her mom) and got her pregnant. He was charged and found guilty of statutory rape, he was convicted.

So this hits alot closer to home then it does for most of you. As a parent, until a child hits 18, the parents can be convicted(responsible) for crimes in some cases that their kids commit and pay for damages.

Added: being a parent is a tough enough job in this day and age. All I can say is, try being a parent for awhile and your perspectives might change

The only recourse to this is to get the law repealed. Stupid law or not- it is the law, passed muster of the constitutionality and has been on the books for a VERY long time.

a 26 year old had sex with my daughter, ( who lived with her mom) and got her pregnant. He was charged and found guilty of statutory rape, he was convicted.

So this hits alot closer to home then it does for most of you. As a parent, until a child hits 18, the parents can be convicted(responsible) for crimes in some cases that their kids commit and pay for damages.

Added: being a parent is a tough enough job in this day and age. All I can say is, try being a parent for awhile and your perspectives might change

You don't mention how old your daughter was. Just out of curiosity how young would this guy had to have been for you not to want to press charges? If he had been 18 would you have still pressed charges? What about 17, if that were possible?

I have a teenage stepdaughter but not having my own keen makes it more difficult for me to understand. My feeling is that an 18 year old with a 16-17 yo if it is a consenting relationship shouldn't be a crime. It should be linear as far as I'm concerned (i.e, 19yo can have sexual relations with 17+). By 20 and up (no longer a teenager) anyone less than 18 should be off limits. Admitting, my relationship with a 16yo at the age of 19 would break my own present day rules...